UK MPs approve assisted dying bill in landmark vote, send proposal to House of Lords

Dignity in Dying campaigners gather in support of the assisted dying Bill in London, Friday. (AP)

What the bill says

The bill would allow assisted dying under strict conditions. A person would be eligible if they:

• Are aged 18 or older and live in England or Wales
• Have been registered with a General Practitioner for at least 12 months
• Have a terminal illness and are expected to die within six months
• Have the mental capacity to make the decision
• Make two formal declarations of their wish to die, witnessed and signed
• Are assessed by two independent doctors at least seven days apart

If the request is approved, there would be a 14-day waiting period before the person could go ahead. A doctor would prepare the substance, but the person would need to take it themselves.

It would be a criminal offence to pressure or force someone into requesting assisted dying, with a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

Public and political reaction

The bill has divided opinion both within Parliament and across the country. Prime Minister Keir Starmer voted in favour of the bill, but Health Secretary Wes Streeting opposed it, although he said he would respect the outcome.

Outside Parliament, demonstrators gathered in large numbers. Supporters wore clothes reading “Campaign for Dignity in Dying,” while opponents carried banners warning against what they called the creation of a “National Suicide Service”.

The UK would join several other countries if the bill becomes law. (AP)

Advocates argue the bill would stop people from having to travel abroad for an assisted death, which is currently legal in Switzerland. They say wealthier patients have that option, while others risk legal consequences for helping a loved one.

Global context

The UK would join several other countries if the bill becomes law. Assisted suicide is currently legal in jurisdictions such as Canada, Belgium, Australia, and some US states. Euthanasia, which involves a doctor directly ending a patient’s life, is legal under strict conditions in the Netherlands and Canada.

Though the House of Commons has now passed the bill, the House of Lords will examine the text in the coming months. Any amendments made by the Lords must then return to the Commons for approval.

(With inputs from BBC and AP)

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